Apparatus for handling hose or similar elongate members



y 2, 19.67 R. H. CULLEN ETAL 3,317,103

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING HOSE OR SIMILAR ELONGATE MEMBERS Filed May 3,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Roy (u/A90 [ear //6 fl. fi/cfia/a J INVENTORJ 71A-K- M ATTORNE VJ y 1967 R. H. CULLEN ETAL 3,317,103

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING HOSE OR SIMILAR ELONGATE MEMBERS Filed May 3,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N Ray Cu//e/7 LeJ//e fl. fi/cfiawo s INVENTORJ i 10k #X United States Patent 3,317,103 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING HOSE 0RSIMILAR ELONGATE MEMBERS Roy H. Cullen, Suite 1931, 500 Jefferson Bldg.,Houston, Tex. 77002, and Leslie D. Richards, Houston, Tex.; saidRichards assignor to said Cullen Filed May 3, 1965, Ser. No. 452,631 3Claims. (Cl. 226-173) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in apparatus for handling hose or similar elongate members.

In United States Patent No. 2,892,535, an apparatus is disclosed forhandling an elongate member, such as a flexible pipe or hose, in welloperations. The present invention is an improvement on such apparatus inthat it provides a new and improved control assembly for such apparatuswhich controls the feeding-off or lowering of the flexible pipe or hosewith the apparatus. Although such control assembly is particularlysuitable for use with the apparatus of said Patent No. 2,892,535, it maybe used with other apparatus for feeding-off 0r lowering an elongatemember.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved control assembly which is suitable for use with apparatus suchas that disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,892,535, or similarapparatus, for controlling the feed-off or lowering of an elongatemember with such apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedapparatus wherein an elongate member such as a flexible drill pipe orhose having a drill bit at the lower end thereof is fed or lowered at acontrolled rate which is related to the rate of drilling progress sothat the proper weight can be maintained on the drill bit duringdrilling.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedapparatus for raising and lowering an elongate mem ber, wherein a maindrive is provided [for stopping or retarding the lowering of theelongate member, and an auxiliary drive means is provided for overridingthe braking action to control the feed-01f or lowering of the elongatemember.

The preferred embodiment of this invention will be describedhereinafter, together with other features thereof, and additionalobjects will become evident from such description.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown,and

wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating the preferredform of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, but illustrating theapparatus in a horizontally extended position to more clearly illustratethe relationship of the parts thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating one type of variable speed motor usedin the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation, partly in dotted lines, illustrating thevariable speed motor of FIG. 3.

In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the apparatus of thisinvention which includes an endless assembly or retract-or R, preferablyof the type illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,892,535, or othersuitable apparatus for handling an elongate member P such as a flexiblepipe or hose. Briefly, the apparatus A is adapted to be operated so thatthe flexible pipe P is raised and lowered with respect to a well W,generally for the purpose of drilling such well W. A drill bit (notshown) of conventional construction is normally disposed at the lowerend of the flexible pipe P, and by reason of the improve- 3,317,103Patented May 2, 1967 "ice ments present in the present apparatus A, therate of feed-off or lowering of the flexible pipe P and the drill bittherewith is controlled so as to be properly related to the rate ofdrilling progress with the bit in the particular formations encounteredduring the drilling of the well W.

Considering the invention more in detail, the apparatus A preferablyincludes a skid or base 10 upon which the entire apparatus A is mountedto facilitate the moving of the apparatus A to different drillinglocations. The skid or base 10 rests upon the ground G or substructureat the location for the drilling of the well W. The skid 10 has suitableframework welded or otherwise mounted thereon, including spaced supportplates 11 for supporting a pair of laterally spaced stub shafts 12. Apair of spaced upright frame members 14 are bolted or otherwise securedto lower frame members 11 for the purpose of supporting upper stubshafts 15 which are laterally spaced with respect to each other. Theframework also includes laterally spaced horizontal frame bars 18 whichare welded or otherwise suitably joined to angled or vertical framemembers 19 and 20. A brace 21 connected to a triangular shaped frameelement 22 is provided for each of the upright frame members 14 tostrengthen same if desired.

In the preferred form of the invention, the upper stub shafts 15 eachpreferably has an upper sprocket 16 rotatably mounted thereon forengagement with the links of the endless assembly R. Similarly, each ofthe lower stub shafts 12 has a lower sprocket (not shown) thereon whichengage with the links of the endless assembly R. At least one of suchlower sprockets is usually driven by driving a sprocket 25 mounted onthe shaft 12, and outwardly connected to a driving source, as will bemore fully explained.

Chains or drive belts 26 are disposed around the sprocket 25 and areoperably connected with a small diameter sprocket 27 mounted on asprocket shaft 28. Preferably, such sprocket shaft 28 is suitablymounted on the pair of laterally spaced angled braces 21 (FIG. 1). Alarge diameter sprocket 30 is also mounted on the sprocket shaft 28 andit has chains or drive belts 31 operably connected thereto and also to asmaller diameter sprocket 32 disposed on a brake shaft 33 (FIGS. 1 and2).

The brake shaft 33 preferably has a plurality of brakes 35 of theelectric actuation type mounted on the brake shaft 33 for stopping therotation of the shaft 33 and the parts operably connected thereto so asto provide a holding means for the endless assembly R. Another sprocket37 is mounted on the shaft 33 to which chains or drive belts 38 areoperably connected. The other end of the endless chain 38 is disposed ona smaller diameter sprocket 40 which is mounted on a clutch shaft 41.The clutch shaft 41 has a large diameter sprocket 42 mounted thereonwith chains or drive belts 43 extending therefrom to a sprocket 44 onthe drive shaft 45 of the main drive means or engine 46. Such main driveengine 46 is of conventional construction and is either a diesel,gasoline, or other type of engine which has therewith a torque converteror fluid drive 47 for driving the shaft 45.

The clutch shaft 41 has clutches S0 and 51 mounted thereon so thateither of such clutches may be connected for operation, as will beexplained, or they may be both disconnected, as will also be explained.Thus, when the clutch 51 is disengaged and the clutch 50 is engaged, therotation of the shaft portion 41a leading from the sprocket 42 imparts arotation to the sprocket 40 and thus drives the chain 38 for operatingthe sequence of chains up to the sprocket 25, whereby the sprocket 25 isturned in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 to effect a raisingof the flexible pipe P with the endless assembly R as the grippingelements of the assembly R pull the pipe P upwardly during the rotationof the endless assembly R.

However, when the clutch 50 is disengaged the drive from the shaft 41ais not transmitted to the sprocket 40, but instead the drive istransmitted to a sprocket 52 which has a chain or drive belt 53connected thereto and also to a sprocket or pulley 54 on a gear reducer55. The gear reducer 55 has a sprocket 56 on the output side thereof towhich is connected a chain or belt 57 and which is also connected to asprocket or pulley 58 on the brake shaft 33. The direction of rotationof the shaft 33 is reversed when driving through the clutch 51 ascompared to when driving through the clutch 50 by reason of the geardrive 55 so that the sprocket 25 is rotated counterclockwise when theclutch 51 is engaged to lower the flexible pipe P with the endlessassembly R.

When the elongate member P has been lowered to the point at whichdrilling is to proceed with the drill bit (not shown) on the bottom ofthe well W, the rate of feed-off or lowering of the flexible pipe P iscontrolled by disengaging the clutches 50 and 51 so that the motor orengine 46 is completely inoperative insofar as driving the endlessassembly R is concerned. Such feed-off or lowering during drilling iscontrolled by an auxiliary drive means which in the preferred form ofthe invention includes a hydraulic or fluid-driven motor 60, preferablyof the variable speed type which is controlled by the operator who mayvary the hydraulic fluid volume supplied to the motor 60. The motor 60may be operated by electricity or by any other suitable means, but inthe present form it is operated by hydraulic fluid. Such motor 60 ismade so that it can be moved on a fixed base 61 or other suitablesupport for changing the diameter of a pulley 62 which is driven by themotor 60. For the purpose of changing the position of the motor 60 onthe base 61, a threaded crank shaft 62 having a handle 62a: ispreferably provided so that when the pulley 62 is in the solid lineposition of FIG. 3, the diameter of the pulley 62 is at the maximum forproviding a maximum speed for the drive belt 63 connected thereto. Whenthe pulley 62 has been spread apart in the conventional manner byadjusting to the dotted line position of FIG. 3, the pulley 62 is in itsminimum diameter position and the belt 63 connected thereto is likewisebeing operated at the minimum speed. Such expansible type of pulley 62is of conventional construction for providing variable speeds with themotor 60. The belt 63 is connected to a driven pulley 65 which ismounted on a shaft of a gear reducer 70. The gear reducer 70 has apulley or sprocket 71 mounted on the output side thereof to which isconnected a chain or pulley 72 which has connection with a belt orsprocket 73 mounted on the same shaft as the sprocket or pulley 54. Aclutch 75 is disposed on the shaft carrying such sprocket or pulley 73so that when the clutch 75 is engaged, the auxiliary drive motor 60 isimparting rotation through the gear drive 55 to the brake shaft 33. Itwill be understood that when the clutch 75 is engaged, the clutches 50and 51 are disengaged, and suitable safety apparatus is provided forpreventing a connection of the clutch 75 when either of the clutches 50or 51 are engaged.

In the operation or use of the apparatus A of this invention, theflexible pipe or hose P is initially lowered into the well W to thebottom thereof, so that drilling can proceed to a greater depth. Duringsuch running in or lowering of the flexible pipe or hose P, the weightof the flexible pipe P and other weights suspended therefrom such asdrill collars and drill bit (not shown) may be sufficient to cause thedrill pipe P to move downwardly by the force of gravity, but normallythe friction involved in the endless assembly R is such that it isnecessary to rotate the endless assembly R in a counterclockwisedirection for running the pipe P into the hole of the well W. For suchpurpose, the engine 46 is utilized with the clutch 50 disengaged andwith the clutch 51 engaged. The clutch 75 is also disengaged. Therefore,the drive from the engine 46 is through the chain 43, the chain 53, thechain 57, the chain 31 and the chain 26 to the drive sprocket 25 on theshaft 12. The sprocket 25 and the drive sprocket for the endlessassembly R are thus rotated in a counterclockwise direction to overcomethe friction and to cause the endless assembly R to rotatecounterclockwise for the downward feeding or lowering of the pipe Puntil the bit on the lower end thereof reaches the bottom of the hole inthe well bore W.

It has been found that when the length of the drill pipe or hose P whichis suspended by the endless assem'bly R is approximately 600 feet, theweight of the suspended pipe and the parts connected thereto issuflicient to overcome the friction of the endless assembly R and causea feeding downwardly of the pipe P by gravity. The length of 600 feet ismerely by way of example since the point of which the weight becomessufficient to overcome friction and thereby become self-feeding variesdepending upon the weight of the drill collars and other suspendedweight on the drill pipe P. Inany event, when the length of the pipe Pand'the weights suspended therewith are sufficient to feed same bygravity rather than by the forced feeding through the drive at theengine 46, a braking action is utilized to prevent the apparatus fromrunning away or lowering too fast. For this purpose, the brakes 35 maybe applied to some extent; but normally the braking action occursthrough a retarding affect in the conventional torque converter 47attached to the engine 46. Thus, the engine 46 is operated at an idlingspeed with the clutch 50 engaged and the force exerted on the torqueconverter 47 causes the converter 47 to be driven and thereby resiststhe downward pull thereon from the moving flexible pipe P as it islowered in the well W. Electrical brakes 35 may be applied to someextent to assist the action of the torque converter 47, again dependingupon the extent of the weight and the speed of lowering desired.

When the drill bit (not shown) has reached the bottom of the well W, itis difiicult, and often impossible, to control the feed-off of the pipeP so as to correlate it with the speed of drilling with the bit by usingthe engine 46, the torque converter 47, and the brake 35. Therefore, thepresent invention includes the control apparatus which has the auxiliarymotor connected as previously described to the brake shaft 33 throughthe clutch 75. Thus, with the drill bit on the bottom of the hole, theclutches 50 and 51 are disengaged and the clutch is engaged. The brakes35 are partially set, and the motor 60 is operated so as to override orovercome the braking action of the brakes 35. With such operation, thefeeding-off of the flexible pipe P is controlled in accordance with thespeed of the motor drive provided by the variable speeds set-upillustrated in particular in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, wherein the speed fromthe variable speed motor 60 is varied by changing the hydraulic fluidvolume to the motor; and if it is desired to change the speed range,this may be accomplished through the adjustment of the variable diameterpulley 62. Of course, other types of variable speed drives may beemployed; but in any event, the drive with the motor 60 is such that itovercomes or overrides the braking action 35 enough to feed the pipe Pdownwardly as thedrilling progresses. The operator of the apparatus atthe surface of the well may observe the weight indicator so that he willknow when the drill bit is on bottom and drilling properly, and he canadjust the speed of the motor 60 so that the speed is coordinated withthe rate of drilling progress in each formation encountered. Thus, whena relatively porous or sandy formation is encountered through which thedrill bit may move rapidly, the feed-off with the motor 60 is increased,whereas when hard rock or other difiicult formations are encountered sothat the rate of drilling with the bit is slow, the speed of feed-offwith the motor 60 is accordingly reduced. The braking action with thebrakes 35 is set so that it is just capable of holding the weight of thedrill pipe P and the weights suspended therefrom when the motor 60 isdisengaged with the clutch 75. In other words, when the clutch 75 isdisengaged, the brakes 35 are set.

so that they prevent any downward movement of the drill pipe P untilsuch brakes 35 are released. It is to be noted that the motor 60 can beoperated in reverse for limited raising of the pipe P to reduce the loadon the drill bit during drilling.

When it is desired to pull the flexible pipe P out of the well W, theclutch 75 is disengaged, the clutch 50 is engaged, then the brakes 35are released so that the chain 38 is operable to drive the brake shaft33 for rotating the sprocket 25 clockwise to thereby rotate the endlessassembly R and the gripping elements therewith clockwise as viewed inFIG. 1.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention isillustrative and explanatory thereof; and various changes in the size,shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction, may be made within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for handling flexible pipe having a drill bit andmotor suspended therefrom wherein such apparatus includes an endlessmeans for raising and lowering such flexible pipe in a well, theimprovement residing in a control assembly for controlling saidlowering, which control assembly includes:

(a) a drive shaft operably connected to drive said endless means,

(b) a main drive means operably connected to said drive shaft for theoperation of the endless means,

(c) first clutch means for connecting and disconnecting said main drivemeans from said drive shaft,

(d) an auxiliary drive means adapted to be operably connected to saiddrive shaft for obtaining a controlled rate of lowering of the flexiblepipe when said main drive means has been operably disconnected from saiddrive shaft, and

(e) second clutch means for connecting and disconnecting said auxiliarydrive means with said endless means.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

(a) brake means connected to said endless means and adapted to exert abraking action on the endless means, and

(b) said auxiliary drive means being operable to override the brakingaction of the braking means sufficiently to obtain the controlled rateof lowering of the flexible pipe.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

(a) brake means connected to said endless means and adapted to exert abraking action on the endless means, and

(b) said auxiliary drive means including:

(1) a variable speed fluid actuated motor, and

(2) means for varying the speed of the motor so as to vary the amount ofdrive by the auxiliary drive means in overriding the brake means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,939,796 12/1933SpOwart 226-49 2,249,185 7/1941 Smaltz et al. 226-49 2,892,535 6/1959Cullen et al. 226l73 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

A. C. HODGSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLEXIBLE PIPE HAVING A DRILL BIT ANDMOTOR SUSPENDED THEREFROM WHEREIN SUCH APPARATUS INCLUDES AN ENDLESSMEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SUCH FLEXIBLE PIPE IN A WELL, THEIMPROVEMENT RESIDING IN A CONTROL ASSEMBLY INCLUDES: WHICH CONTROLASSEMBLY INCLUDES: (A) A DRIVE SHAFT OPERABLY CONNECTED TO DRIVE SAIDENDLESS MEANS, (B) A MAIN DRIVE MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVESHAFT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE ENDLESS MEANS, (C) FIRST CLUTCH MEANS FORCONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING SAID MAIN DRIVE MEANS FROM SAID DRIVESHAFT,